The Assistant
by x Ruby Dust x
Summary: House wants a kickass assistant and gets one, but when she comes down with something, House has to save her. ChaseOC. REVISED! Caution: has sexual content.PLEASE REVIEW.
1. The Select Few

**Author Note:**

hey guys! so i re-did the chapters i posted so far. i didn't like the other story i had going. this is basically the same thing, only i fixed it up.

i have one favor to ask those reading this for the first time. In this story, I explain my OC _over time_, not all at once. so please wait to pass judgement until you read the six chapters i have here. if you don't like it, that's cool, you're entitled to your own opinion. it just bugs me when people don't get the whole story. also, my OC comes off a bit "bitchy barbie-ish." well that's how i wrote her for this portion of the fanfic. it all ties together, trust me.

i hope you like!

Ruby...

**Chapter One – The Select Few**

"So, . . . tell me why you need an assistant again? You practically ignore your clinic duty and your so far behind on your paperwork, . . ." Dr. Cuddy was getting frustrated. She was starring House down, but he seemed to just brush off her hard looks. "Why should I spend more hospital money on you?"

"Because without my own personal flunky, you know, beside the three I have now, I would get so far behind in my paperwork I might forget about clinic duty all together. Most likely that's when someone in desperate need of my expertise will come in, and with me stuck pushing pencils, will die. Then you'll probably have a lawsuit on your hands and it would cost more than hiring someone to do things for me." House was twisting his cane between his fingers. He looked up at the scowl on Cuddy's face. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have hopeful spirits to crush."

Cuddy scrunched her face in confusion and anger. "What!"

"Oh, I didn't mention? Funny, thought I told Wilson to..."

"House!"

House had a triumphant look on his face. He was getting satisfaction from this. "I have interviewees here already, that way you couldn't possibly say 'no'. Well you could... but where would the fun be in that?" House pulled himself out of the chair and made a quick get-a-way so she couldn't contradict him.

Down the hall, he stopped mid-step, looking at a whole waiting room full of nerdy-looking, middle-aged, men. Even worse, there were some forty-_something _womanin suits and carrying briefcases. Not exactly what House had in mind, but then he saw her. A woman with sandy-brown hair and glowing green eyes. Her black off-the-shoulder shirt and electric pink skirt attracted his eye as he watched her yell continuously at the receptionist.

He had seen enough. "Excuse me," he walked up to her. She stopped her rampage and glared at him. "Civilians aren't aloud back here without supervision. The boss thinks that a scalpel might accidentally fly up two floors and across the hospital and stab someone to death on it's own free will."

"You're good." She laughed.

"Who are you and why are you ruining the mediocre job maintenance did before they stole supplies?" House cocked his head and waited for an answer.

"Nicole Caulfield. I'm here for an interview with a Dr. Gregory House. But why I'm here, here is because that blonde bitch over there can't get off her ass to help some guy that fell out of his wheel-chair."

House's eyes grew wide. "You couldn't help a guy who fell out of a wheelchair?" He took a pain reliever out of the bottle and popped it in his mouth.

"It's not in my job description." she squeaked. Apparently Nicole's scolding had hurt her feelings.

"So you want a job with me?" House turned back to his applicant. "You're hired."

"That's it?"

"Yep." House talked as he walked down the hall and began for his office. He noticed she wasn't following him and he was talking to himself. He turned to face her again. "Fine, have it your way," he scoffed as he opened the doors to the waiting room. "Only a select few of you fit my unusually high standards. Unfortunately, you all irritate me." And he started down the hall once again. This time with Nicole walking along side.

"I would've been happy with a 'when can you start?' but your approach was much more entertaining."


	2. A Wit of Her Own

**Chapter Two – A Wit of Her Own**

"I've heard of you, Dr. House." Nicole smiled, examining the contents of her new desk. Since it was right across the room from House's desk, she didn't bother looking up. "I heard you're one pompous, arrogant, son of a . . ."

House interrupted, "If walls could talk." He proceeded to put his feet up on his desk and place his headphones in his ears. Mentally selecting a song on his iPod, he pressed the 'play button and was engulfed in "Baba O'Riley" by Pearl Jam. Halfway through the chorus, he noticed he was being stared at. He pulled one earpiece from his ear and looked at her as if asking, "what are you looking at?"

"Sorry. Just trying to figure out what kinda situation we're in here."

"What?"

She crossed her legs and folded her arms. He had noticed the velour brown and pick Converse she was wearing and decided he liked her style. "Well I just got here. I don't know what kind of boss you are. I don't know how we're going to get along. I just wanted to figure that situation out."

"Oh a game." He now noticed her playful tone. She was challenging him to a match of wits. "I like games. I'll be the boss and you be the secretary that's sleeping with him." He smirked, trying to catch her off guard. It didn't work, however.

"Alright, or we could play doctor. How appropriate since we're in a hospital." She laughed, blowing him a playful kiss. House never joked with someone like this before, he liked it. "I've been awful bad, doc." she continued to laugh.

"You have your own sense of wit. Or you're a bit cynical, whichever. That's good. It'll keep me entertained anyway. Let's see if my ducklings like it, too." He picked up the phone and dialed a couple of numbers, then placed the phone back on the receiver.

Within moments Foreman, Cameron, and Chase were standing in the threshold to his office. "What is it?" Cameron asked. She seemed almost out of breathe, and a bit fatigued.

"What took you guys so long?" House stood up, grabbing the large tennis ball on his desk and started throwing it up and down.

"We were doing your clinic work." Foreman snapped. "We're only picking up your slack so you could take the afternoon to interview hookers. You couldn't have been satisfied with one already, have you? She must've been a stripper, too."

"The hooker slash stripper is over here." Nicole sat on the side of her desk. "If that's why he hired me, then what's your excuse? Wait, let me guess. What? Couldn't rap?" She cringed a bit at the end. Even though she could tell they new she was being sarcastic, she didn't really like to judge people because she didn't like to be judge.

"Whoa" Cameron raised her eyebrows in House's direction. He just smirked at her, shrugging his shoulders with approval.

"Good God, a female version of House." Foreman gasped.

"No, not really. I just thought Dr. House expected that from me. Especially after you called me a stripper. Thanks for that by the way." Nicole winced, her way of apologizing.

Chase stepped forward, offering her his hand. She used it to help herself get down from her desk. "Robert Chase."

"Nicole Caulfield." She tilted her head at him. He was trying to impress her, she could tell. And so could everyone else, including House.

"If you must make puppy-dog eyes at her, at least get out of the way and let the others get their turn. You all need to get back to my clinic work." he snapped, replacing the ball on the desk and limped over next to Nicole. "Nicole, Cameron and Foreman. Cameron and Foreman, Nicole. There, you all know each other. Now get back to work!"


	3. Becoming a Duckling

**Chapter Three – Becoming a Duckling**

"So, you guys wanna grab drinks tonight after work?" Chase asked, walking down the hall with the other two.

"You just want an excuse to invite the new girl," Foreman mocked, "I loved how you were the first one to introduce yourself to her. You practically threw yourself at her." He picked up his paced and walked in front of his colleagues until he was out of ear-shot.

"Well I'll go." Cameron smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think it's sweet. You want to get to know her." she nudged him in the side.

"No, that's not it." he smiled. Chase normally didn't like sharing his business with everyone else, but Cameron seemed genuinely interested. He explained that this wasn't the first time he'd met Nicole, he just didn't want House to know that. Chase had met Nicole when they were younger, when he had lived in Australia. She moved across the street from him because of her father's business. "We actually dated for about a year and a half and it was really getting serious, but then her father got moved again and I haven't seen her since today."

"So then why don't you just ask her to go then. Why invite all of us?" Her tireless efforts of helping everyone to become a hope-less romantic were being wasted yet again. They made their way into an elevator to go back down to the clinic.

"Because that was back in high school. It would be weird to just ask her. What if she has a boyfriend?"

"Well you'll never know unless you ask."

"Or you ask."

"Very mature, Chase, very mature."

House paced in front of the his whiteboard in the conference room, Nicole watching in confusion. He picked up a orange marker, then put it back down. Picked it up, put it down. Picked it up, put it down . . . "What are you doing?"

"Reenacting a scene from the 1942 romantic film "Casablanca". What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You really want me to answer that question?" Nicole lowered her head and looked over her eyebrows. "You gunna answer my question? Or am I just gunna sit here all day."

"I'm thinking and that's your job."

"What?"

"Your _J-O-B!_ You're my assistant. You follow me around all day and tell me how pretty I look."

"That's it?"

"Yep. Unless you want me to stick you behind the desk all day doing paperwork." He grabbed his cane and walked to the door. Opening it, he nodded down the hall signaling for her to join him. "The hardest thing you'll have to do is take a patient history or two."

"That's why you hired and assistant? Don't get me wrong, it sounds like the sweetest job in the world, but aren't nurses supposed to do that?" Even with a cane, House was hard to keep up with. She was almost running after him.

"If you haven't noticed, the Halloween nurse costume isn't exactly correct. I'm sick of getting patient histories then two days later find out that there's more to it. That's were you come in."

"So Foreman was justified when he called me a hooker?" she laughed, finally getting his pace of walking.

"No. There's strictly a 'no sex' policy between employees and patients. Fortunately, there not one that says you can't sleep with colleagues."

"Chase?"

"You're the one that said it."

House went to lunch. Meanwhile, Nicole went to find Chase. He was in the clinic, finishing up his own hours before going home for the day. Nicole waited outside the exam room. Once he did, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side, waiting for the patient to leave. Once they did, she pulled him inside and closed the door.

"Hi," she tried not to smile but it wasn't working, "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I know." he loved that smile. He had dreamt about her smile. "You either."

"Wow, a doctor." Nicole tugged at the lapel of his white coat. "I never would've guessed. You know, because of your dad and all." She paused, looking up at him. She hadn't realized how close she was standing next to him. Once she did, she realized now that she was seeing him again, now that she was so close to him, all her feelings fo him were flooding back. "All those years I've missed you, Chase."

He was speechless. He'd missed her, too, but he wasn't one to admit it. "You wanna go for dinner tonight? Maybe catch up?"

"A second first date." she seemed pleased. "Not that that's what it is."

"It is." he nodded. That was the best part of their relationship in the past. He loved making her happy. "At least I want it to be."


	4. The First Symptom

**Chapter Four: The First Symptoms **

Dinner had gone well. They had talked most of the time, about their past relationship. One the way to dropping Nicole off, they spotted a small ice-cream shop and stopped to get dessert.

Nicole took a bite out of her chocolate chip cone, getting ice-cream on her nose. Chase, who had already finished his, grabbed her around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I can take care of that," he whispered as he kissed the tip of her nose. He moved his lips from her nose to her cheek. She dropped her cone, cupping her hands over his cheeks and pulling his lips to hers.

The next thing either one of them knew, they were back at Nicole's apartment. She could feel his full weight on top of her as they were locked in another passionate kiss. One of her hands was brushing through his gorgeous, blonde hair with the other undoing his belt. His hands were running up her spine, taking her shirt with them. His fingers found their way to a scar she had just under her hairline. He remembered that scar. She slowly started unbuttoning his shirt, taking in the reality that she was getting a second chance. A _good_ second chance.

Nicole woke up the next morning, fully aware of the Chase's arms wrapped around hers, and fully aware his head was buried in her neck. "I have to go to work." he moaned, kissing a spot on her shoulder.

"Me, too." she yawned, "It's my first actual day. I guess I shouldn't be late for that."

She reached out from under the covers, grabbing the first article of clothing she found. It was Chase's shirt. She slipped it on an buttoned it up, then rolled out of bed and onto her feet. "Breakfast?"

"I can't." He was already up and walking around in his boxer. "I need to shower and change."

She took his hands and but on a pouty face, "Please don't go. Shower here." she pleaded.

"And what would you like me to wear?"

"Oh." He kissed her forehead then proceeded to pick up the rest of his cloths. "Well I'm keeping this." she tugged on the hemline of his shirt, just running a little higher than mid-thigh.

"Go ahead." he laughed, throwing his coat on over his bare back. "I'll see you at work, okay?"

She nodded, kissed him, "At least stay for some coffee?" she went into the kitchen and carried him out a cup. All of a sudden she felt a shooting pain in her stomach. Her muscles went rigid and her hands started to shake. She fell, spilling hot coffee all over her stomach and legs. Chase caught her before she hit the ground.

The lights. The sirens. She was in an ambulance. Chase was with her, holding her hand, talking to someone. A cellphone. She heard the name "House". He was calling their boss? What was happening to her. "Oh God." She breathed. It hurt to breathe.


	5. Differential Diagnosis Part One

**Chapter Five: Differential Diagnosis (Part One)**

House got right down to the point. He was staring blankly at the three sitting at the table, thinking that it should be four. Chase looked pained. He had been in the ambulance with her, but why was he there? Something House would have to weasel out of him. Cameron looked a little worried herself. She had hardly talked to Nicole, but House knew that it was her nature to actually 'care'. Foreman didn't seem phased at all.

He grabbed a marker and began writing Nicole's symptoms on the whiteboard.

Fatigue

abdominal discomfort/swelling

muscle pain

joint pain

2nd degree burns, stomach and upper thigh (coffee related)

"Differential diagnosis." he barked, staring them down again. "Minus the coffee."

"Wilson's disease" Chase was the first to speak. His voice was shaky, at best. Now House really wanted to know what was going on.

"No," Foreman shook his head, leaning forward, "forty percent of people with Wilson's disease show Kayser-Fleischer ring as their first symptom. The other sixty percent usually have various neurological and behavioral symptoms first."

"What do you call the muscle weakness and rigidity? That's neurological." Chase snapped.

"Fight nicely children or no dessert after dinner!" House didn't sound as amused as his comment seemed. "What else do we have?"

"Autoimmune Hepatitis." It was Cameron this time. "It would explain the abdominal discomfort and the joint pain with fatigue."

House wrote it on the board.

"Yes, but Chronic Hepatitis 'C' would account for majority if not all of the symptoms."

House wrote that on the board as well. "Until we find out more, I'm going with Cameron's choice. Foreman, start her on 20mg of prednisone, and Cameron find out what the swelling is about."

Cameron and Foreman rose, leaving to follow his orders. "What about me?" Chase was still seated.

"You, my little Australian flunky, get to tell me why you were with her when Nicole first had any symptoms." House walked through the glass partition into his office with Chase at his heels.

"What does it matter? I mean, it's a good thing I was or she might be dead by now."

"Don't avoid the question." He sat at his desk and began twirling his cane. He nodded towards a the chair in front of his desk. Chase took a seat once more. "Fess up, why do you look so guilty? You slept with her, didn't you? Jeez, you're making your way right through the team. First Cameron, now Nicole. On her first day, no less."

"Alright," Chase hated it when House did this. He knew how to unnerve people, "She and I used to know each other. We caught up last night."

"Call it what you will but you slept with her." House's wit and cynicism was being replaced with his anger. "You're emotionally attached. According to the rules, I can't let you anywhere near her as a doctor."

"You're kicking me off the case? Since when do you follow rules?"

"Since I found out you're sleeping with her!" House was now on his feet, gripping his cane firmly. "If you mess up, could you live with yourself? Knowing that you might have killed her, or done permanent damage?" Chase hung his head. He was aware of what House was saying. House was right, even though he hated to admit it. House sighed, calming himself down. "Go sit with her, call her parents, do something. Just stay away from any medicine."

"So now you're not letting me be a doctor at all? Come on, I'll even opt to do your clinic duty." Chase was desperate. He needed something to take his mind off of her, not that that was an easy thing to do.

"No."

House didn't need to explain. Chase knew that, even though looking for a distraction, he wouldn't be able to think of anything else. She had been in his arms when she collapsed. She had been wearing his shirt. She had just spent the night with him. He wouldn't be able to think of anything else. The mystery and emotional attachment would take over.

House was uncomfortable. He had the urge to throw out a comment or something to rid him of this feeling. "Better yet, go pray. You went to catholic school, right? I'm sure there's a chapel around here somewhere, but I bet you can find it. God will call you to it."


	6. Running Some Tests

**Chapter Six: Running Some Tests**

Nicole woke up in the hospital. She hated it. She wanted to get out of this glass room as fast as possible. She sprang into a sitting positionbut was caught by the IV in her arm. She quickly, and professionally, unhooked it. Then got up to leave.

Her legs were still weak. She was fumbling under the weight of herself. Her muscles hurt so bad, like she had pulled each and every one of them at once. But she would have to deal with that. She didn't want to be in this hospital as a patient, and she wasn't going to be.

Nicole made it to the door. Just as she was about to open it, Foreman appeared on the other side. "Ah, hell!" she muttered. It even hurt to talk. Her tongue hurt. "What the fuck is going on!"

"Well I see that you're coherent." he mocked, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the bed. She willingly followed, but refused to get in the bed. "Fine. But I have to give you this." Nicole gave up and sat. As Foreman put the medicine into her IV, she studied the bag. Prednisone. "There are some side effects..."

"... fluid retention leading to edema, muscle wasting, impaired wound healing, glaucoma, cataracts, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, increased risk of bacterial or opportunistic infections such as fungi, tuberculosis, pneumocystis carinii, and psychiatric disturbance." Nicole interrupted, "Yeah, I got it."

Foreman as stunned. "How did you know all that?"

"I used to be a doctor."

"Liar." Foreman noticed the unhooked IV and started to put the needle back in her hand.

"You spend to much time with House. And don't dare impugn my honor. I am no such thing." She pushed him away, gave up on the whole situation, and stuck herself with the needle. It stung slightly, as the cold medicine made it's way into her bloodstream.

"I read your file. No where did it say 'M.D.'." He finished putting the Prednisone into her IV, then stood back and watched her reaction to his contradiction.

"That's because I dropped out of my internship, smartass. Hence the 'used to'." That was bitchy, but she didn't care.

"Oh." Maybe he had been around House for too long.

Chase came into the room. He spotted Nicole, sitting there, looking helpless. He felt helpless. This was absurd. He had only seen her for one day, and all this was happening. She had broken his heart. She was the one who had moved away without a single word, just a note on her front door the next morning. When they were teenagers no less! Why did he care so much now?

Maybe because she had her arms around him now. Hugging him was a way of giving herself hope. Foreman stood in shock as Chase returned the gesture, then he quickly retreated out of the room. "Maybe that wasn't the best thing, huh?" Nicole stepped away. Chase took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

"Doesn't matter. Foreman's a big boy. He can handle it."

"Where's the white coat and the tie?" Nicole was tugging at the collar of his shirt. "I thought this hospital was 'strict' when it came to that stuff. You know, except when it comes to House."

"Again, doesn't matter."

Cameron walked in behind them. She was beaming, watching the two together. "Sorry about this, but I'm going to have to take Nicole for some tests."

Nicole smiled, amused by the fact that Cameron was such a hopeless romantic. "What would said 'tests' entail?"

"MRI's, x-rays, blood tests... the works." she replied, producing a wheelchair from behind the door.

"Great. I get to be your guinea pig for the day."

Cameron laughed, holding the chair so she could slip in it. Her focus was redirected to Chase. "Hey, where's your..."

"Never mind." he growled at her. He wasn't himself, that something was wrong, Nicole could tell. Whenever Chase got truly upset, his accent would run amuck and you could hardly understand him. Kind of like now.

"I'll walk." Nicole suggested, walking past the wheelchair. "I got legs, I might as well use them while I still can."


	7. Test Results

**another symptom chapter, so it's really short. hope you guys like! give me feedback!**

**Ruby...**

**Chapter Seven: Test Results**

The MRI machine made a huge clanging noise, which would abruptly stop every couple of seconds then start again. Nicole tried not to stare at the laser going back and forth over her head, but honestly, who could resist. God knows there was nothing else to look at.

"You're almost done." Cameron's voice rang through the open tube.

"Good, because this really sucks." Nicole winced. She was slightly claustrophobic and just wanted to be out.

"Just stop moving." It changed to Foreman's voice.

"I'm not!" she yelled over the, now, extremely loud "whirring" noise.

Foreman questioned himself as he watched Nicole fidget inside the machine. "You're messing up the MRI. Stop moving!"

"I'm not moving!" Nicole screamed, but at the same time she couldn't scream. It seemed like there was something trapped in her throat and she gasped drastically for air. She squeezed the buzzer they gave her incase anything went wrong, then dropped it to clasp her fingers around her throat.

She was immediately pulled out of the machine. Cameron pulled out her stethoscope and listened to Nicole's chest while Foreman rushed to clear her air passage. "There's nothing there." Foreman questioned, looking down her throat.

"Heart's racing." Cameron folded up her stethoscope and placed it around her neck again. "We need to slow it down or she could have a heart attack."

"Well we can't tell her to take deep breaths." Cameron glared at Foreman. She was clearing scolding him for making jokes at such a time. "It's atrial fibrillation. And she can technically breath."

"She thinks she can't. There must be something wrong with her nervous system." Foreman now gave her the glare. Cameron glanced away from him to look at Nicole's vitals. "Foreman?"

Foreman looked over at the screen. Nicole's heart race was increasing rapidly, soon her heart would start failing.. He rushed out of the room and came back with a cart. "We'll need to give her electrical cardioversion."

"She needs Coumadin for that first!"

"Does it look like we have time for a blood thinner!" Without hesitating, Foreman grabbed the paddles and placed them on Nicole's chest. A small, electrical current was released from the paddles and sent through the valves of Nicole's heart. Foreman sent another electrical shock, hoping to slow the beating down.

Nicole, now able to breath, screamed from the immense pain. "Foreman!" Cameron yelled over Nicole. She gestured to the vital signs on the screen. Everything was back to normal. "That was stupid! You could have killed her!" Cameron continued to yell, not caring that Nicole could hear.


	8. Differential Diagnosis Part Two

**another short chapter, but i think i'm starting to like the consept. if that bothers you, don't think about it as short... think about it as sweet and to the point...**

**ruby...**

**Chapter Eight: Differential Diagnosis (Part Two)**

House wrote the new symptoms on the whiteboard.

Loss of muscle control

neurological blocked air passage

atrial fibrillation

"Well, what now?" House questioned, looking to his ducklings for an answer. "Clearly Cameron was wrong."

"I still think it's Chronic Hepatitis 'C'." Foreman leaned back in his chair.

"Okay, test for that." House limped over to the partition doors.

"That's it? You're not going to be a hard ass about it?" Foreman stood up.

House placed his hand on the handle, then turned back to them. "Has anyone bothered to check the abdominal swelling?"

Cameron looked over at her colleague. "We didn't get to it yet."

"Take that as a hint."

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Foreman questioned. More like accused.

"Maybe." House left them, but Foreman wasn't about to give up. Without missing a beat, Foreman followed House into his office.

"If you know what's wrong with her, then do something about it. She could die..."

"So could you. In fact, one day you will die and somebody, somewhere might have a parade."

Foreman was taken aback. Even _that_ was a bit to harsh for House. He decided to give up on the situation and left. It turns out that Wilson was walking down the hall just as Foreman was leaving. "What was that about?"

"What was what?" House picked up a book from his desk and started leafing through the pages.

"Your office isn't exactly soundproof." Wilson sat down and watched him. He noticed the book was a medical journal and questioned House about it.

House had a pained expression on his face. "She almost died today."

"From?"

It took House several minutes to answer. "I don't know." That statement made House extremely uncomfortable.

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Chase watched Nicole sleep from the pain killers they gave her. He noticed that she no longer was being given Prednisone, and it was replaced with general vitamins.

Nicole stirred, noticing Chase starring at her. "Hi." she mumbled, slightly inaudible.

Chase let out a small laugh. She managed to be so sweet, even when she was in so much pain. "What are the pain killers for?" he asked.

Nicole pulled down her blankets around her waist, then lowered the collar of her hospital gown. Two bright red, shiny burns were placed squarely on her chest. Chase, not sure of what happened, sat down in the bed next to her and put his arms around her. She buried her face into his shoulder and fell back asleep.

Cameron came into the room several minutes later. She had a wheelchair with her, but pushed it back outside when she saw Nicole sleeping. "What happened earlier?" Chase whispered.

"She went into atrial fibrillation. We had to give her immediate electrical cardioversion."

Chase nodded in understanding. That explained the burns.


	9. Failed Attempts

**had a creative rush... hope you guys like it. read AND review. i LOVE reviews.**

**ruby d.**

**Chapter Nine: Failed Attempts**

Foreman fell into step alongside Cameron. "Where's Chase? Shouldn't he be helping with his little _girlfriend_?"

"That was only a tad bit rude." Cameron continued doing what she was doing: studying the available MRI pictures. "Look at this."

Foreman walked over and looked at what she was pointing to. "Huh. The liver's enlarged." He contemplated this for a second, tilting his head in thought. "Do you think House really knows what's wrong with her?"

"If he did, he would tell us."

"Maybe not. Maybe..."

"Yeah, like House would actually let her die." Foreman raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh, come on. You can't believe that."

"You never know with that guy." He shrugged his shoulder and took the pictures from Cameron's hands. "Now back on topic...where's Chase?"

"Just go show that to House." She sighed, turning off the lights in the room and closing the door behind her.

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Nicole was feeling so much better, for no reason whatsoever. She got up off of the bed, stretched, then walked over and pulled the blinds closed. When she was sure she had privacy, she proceeded to take the hospital gown off and put on her own cloths. She slipped her panties up over her thighs, and was about to hook her bra when Chase walked in. She jumped a little, covering herself, then relaxed when she realized it was him. "You scared me."

"What are you doing?" He asked, rushing to her and forcing her to sit on the side of the bed. "Better question, what do you _think_ you're doing?"

"I _think_ I'm getting dressed." Nicole couldn't help but smile when he reached around and helped her with her bra. The other day he was doing the opposite and the thought made her giggle, not too much unlike a schoolgirl. He placed a hands on her thigh and frowned at her. "I'm not planning on going anywhere. Just getting dressed."

He kissed her cheek then buried his face in her shoulder.

"Weird, huh?"

"What?"

"That we still feel the same way about each other. Maybe it's cause we never got to say 'goodbye'." He didn't look at her. "What's been going on, Chase?"

"What do you mean?"He reached around and pulled her closer to him.

"With me. What's wrong with me?" Nicole was running her fingers through his hair. "And you. Why aren't you being all..._doctor-y_? Where's the white lab coat? It's kind of making me nervous."

Instead of replying, Chase picked his shirt up off of the desk, the shirt he had given her the morning this all started, and helped her slip it on. Seeing her wearing it reminded him of that night. The night where everything seemed to be almost perfect. She kissed him, and he lifted her into it so she wouldn't have to crane her neck. The IV was still in her hand, but she pulled all the harder to wrap her arms around his neck. She knew he was here to care for her, and he did. In more ways then one.

She pinned him against the wall, slipping her tongue into his mouth. Nicole just wanted to forget all of this. If it took sex to do it...she was fine with that. Sex in a hospital. Isn't that what all doctors secretly wished for? She sat on the side of the bed, staring at him with a gleam in her eyes that Chase had never seen before. His brain was telling him to walk out of the room and forget this, but his feet where moving towards her.

He stood in front of her, fingers caressing the soft spot of her cheeks. She reached down his pants and untucked his shirt, unbuttoning the last few buttons. She unzipped his jeans and pulled them down a little, revealing the line of hair running down the bottom of his belly button. She kissed it and made her way up his stomach, slowly unbuttoning the rest of his shirt along the way. Her hands rounded his shoulders and slipped his shirt onto the floor. He did the same to hers, where she was in her underwear again.

He kissed her, laying her on the bed. His brain was screaming for him to abort, but another part of his anatomy was screaming something different. She felt it pressing against her inner thigh and grabbed the pockets of his jeans for leverage. She was starting to forget.

"How come no one invited me to the orgy?" House limped into the room. Chase sprang up at a breakneck speed and zipped up his jeans.

"Godammit!" Nicole yelled, wrapping a white sheet around herself.

"Aren't you supposed to hang a tie on the door? Or a stethoscope? Something?" House sat down and pulled out his portable t.v. He tuned into _General Hospital_ and propped his feet on the edge of the bed. "You know...this reminds me of an episode..."

"House..." Chase's accent was barely understandable.

"What are you doing?" Nicole was more angry than embarrassed.

"Oh right. Your liver's failing."

Nicole's jaw dropped. "Thanks for the information. Is that what's wrong with me?"

"Well," House was about to make another joke about the situation, but noticed the way Nicole was glaring at him. "Open your eyes."

"My eyes are open."

"I mean all the way." Nicole rolled her eyes, but did as he said. She opened them as far as she could and struggled to keep them that way as House shined a flash light at them. He made some sort of snorting sound then backed up. House scrunched his eyebrows to meet in the center of his forehead and sighed. "Chase, put your shirt back on and come with me." He continued as he sped out of the room.


	10. Diagnosis and Treatment

_what's up guys?? no reviews?? that's disappointing! i hate you all! omg...JUST KIDDING! i love you all too much to hate you. you are lovely... and i hope you accept my apology. _

_okay, now i'm done being random. seriously...why no reviews?? not interesting?? i should hope not! well if it's not, tell me... i'm always interested in seeing what's on your pretty little minds. _

_read on and rock out._

_Ruby_

**Chapter Ten: Diagnosis and Treatment**

House entered his office with a distinct, determined look on his face. Chase followed at his heels. "Have you noticed anything different?" he barked, pushing some buttons on his phone.

"Could you be more clear?"

"About her! Her personality, her mannerisms, the way she. . ."

Chase knew that House was onto something. He seemed too focused to make a joke. Then again, House always kept them guessing. Chase jumped in before he got the chance. "Come to think of it," he paused, not wanting to feed House's ego. "She's always gotten what she wanted, but she's never been that . . . aggressive."

"When I first met her, I saw her yelling at a receptionist. Something sound wrong there?"

"I've personally never heard her yell...but I don't know." Chase frowned, wondering where House was going with this.

Foreman and Cameron came jogging down the hall. Cameron was about to complain, but House held up a hand to stop her. "Biopsy her liver."

"New symptom?" Foreman panted.

"No, the name of a band I'm starting. You play bass."

"Because I'm black."

"Can you honestly say that you don't know how."

"Well...yeah."

"Do I smell a bet? What this time...let's do $500."

"Her eyes." Chase mumbled. It was more to himself then to anyone, but it was still loud enough for others to hear. He seemed to be in his own little world and didn't really care that other could hear him. "I was right. It's Wilson's."

"What?" Foreman caught his breath, looking at Chase in the most confused way he could.

"Kayser-Fleischer Ring." House sat at his desk and put his cane aside. "Now the question is... how does Wilson's Disease cause a personality change?"

"I knew her back in high school." Chase snapped out of it. "How do we know that she didn't just change over the years?"

"People don't change. No matter how much Cameron wants to believe it." House grabbed his tennis ball and started bouncing it off the wall.

"That would be like saying House would come in tomorrow skipping and handing out roses." Wilson joked, jamming his hands into his pockets as he slowly sauntered into the room. "You rang?"

"Oh darn, you ruined the surprise!" House threw the ball at him, which he barely caught.

"Wilson's disease is the build up of copper in the body. Mostly the liver. So what would that have to do with the brain?" Cameron tried to get the back on track.

"It builds up in the liver, but can be deposited in other parts of the body. If a heavy amount built up on the frontal lobe, that could cause a metaphorical personality 180." Foreman continued.

"Biopsy the liver. If it's positive for Wilson's then start her on Penicillamine." House stood and walked over to the door. "Chase can inform her. And no _hanky-panky_ this time. That's what internet porn if for."

"And where are you going?" Wilson was about to blindly follow him.

"To the security desk. Want to see if I can get that tape." He smirked, limping out of the office.

"What's he talking about?" Foreman crossed his arms, staring at Chase.

"Nothing." Chase lowered his head and brushed past them.

All three of them made their way back to Nicole's room. She was sitting in the chair with the phone glued to her ear. "No Mama, I'm fine...you and Dad don't need to come out here...well Chase was just concerned...yes, Chase and I are back together, I think...Mama, I got to go. My doctors just walked in...okay Mama...I love you too...bye." She stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her shirt. "What's up?"

"We think you have Wilson's disease." Foreman sighed. Nicole cocked her head, understanding but wanting him to continue. "We're going to have to biopsy your liver to be sure, and if we're right then we can treat it."

"With?"

"Penicillamine." Cameron held Nicole's chart up. Nicole frowned. The side effects of Penicillamine were worse then the Prednisone. Not to mention more likely.

"Couldn't you just give me Trientine or zinc salts?" She crossed her arms. Tears were forming in her eyes, but she was holding them back. Chase saw her struggle. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, and began rubbing her arms. Her skin was extremely cold. "I mean, I know they're less effective...but is it really that bad?"

"We think you may have copper deposits stored in your frontal lobe."

"I'm not familiar with the brain."

"The frontal lobe determines personality and many "higher" cognitive functions. It's split into the anterior and posterior. The prefrontal, or anterior, portion determines personality. We think that where the copper is settling." Foreman seemed very professional. He hand one hand in his lab coat pocket, and the other one was pointing to where the lobe was located.

It took Nicole a moment to compose herself. "Who usually does the biopsies?"

"Well...Chase does, but..."

"No. I want Chase to do it." Nicole turned to look at him, like the others were.

"I...can't..."

"Why not?"

"House won' let me."

"I can deal with that." Nicole faked a smile. "Please? It would make me feel better."

"It's against hospital rules. We can't perform ant kind of procedure on someone we're in a relationship with." Cameron squinted. She saw the look in Nicole's eyes and didn't continue.

"Then we won't be together." She turned back to Chase. "I want a break."

Chase knew she was kidding, but it still stung a little. He looked to the other for advice. "Chase, Cuddy would..." Cameron started, but Nicole stepped up to her.

"Lisa Cuddy? I can deal with that, too." This was a real smile this time. Nicole wouldn't admit why, but hearing that name made her happy she was at this hospital.


	11. Biopsy

**Author's Note **

okay, the next chapter is going to be the last. see, the reason i explain the character over the course of this story is because i'm setting you guys up for the real story i had in mind. i didn't just want to start writing and be like "oh, well here's a new character, and here's how she got to be here, and here's why she's like this from time to time."

and do understand that i did the "bitchy-barbie" thing for this reason too. it was part of her ILLNESS! She isn't really like House and i never ment her to be. there can only be one House in a hospital, or else all hell would ensue...

until my next installment...

R.D.

**Chapter Eleven: Biopsy **

Chase walked somberly into Nicole's room, seeing her back in a cap and gown, and himself in scrubs. The anesthesiologist was hooking her up to another IV full of sedatives and was about to administer the sedatives and vitamins. "Hold on a moment?" Chase interrupted, sitting on the side of her bed.

He reached up and brushed some hair that was poking out from underneath her cap. "Don't look at me! I look ridiculous!" She giggled, already mildly sedated.

"You look beautiful." He smirked. His fingers found the soft spot on her cheek and stroked it. "You ready?"

She nodded, grabbing his hand. "As long as I have you there, I'm ready for anything." Her giggles settled in the bottom of her throat and subsided.

"I love you," He whispered, leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

"Don't say that. Not yet." Now Nicole was frowning. These vitamins were reeking havoc on her hormones... "Say it after this is all over."

"I'll love you then, too. Don't worry." Chase smiled, for her sake. It was only a liver biopsy, something he's done countless times, but something still worried him. He figured it was just because this time it was a patient that he cared for, and ignored the feeling.

"Why the sedatives?" She asked in a low whisper. The anesthesiologist had resumed his duties and was administering the cocktail into her bloodstream.

He didn't want to tell her. "Because we're not sure if the copper deposits got to the point in your brain that controls pain levels. If it did, this would going to hurt really bad. More than usual." The look on her sedated face was so serene, so amused. He gave her hand one last comforting squeeze, then left to scrub in.

With her knees hugged to her chest and the cocktail at full effect, Nicole barely felt the needle be inserted through her back and into her liver. Chase ignored the sweat running down his temples as he searched the monitor next to him. He grabbed a portion of the liver, then slowly started pulling the needle out. Once the nurses got the liver piece in the Petrie dish and labeled, and another took care of the hole in her side, Chase accompanied took her back to her room and waited for the sedatives to wear off and the results to come back. Both would take a while.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I feel like I've been hit by a bus!" Nicole shook and rubbed the back of her head.

"That's what happens when you have a cocktail at this hospital. Personally, I think the anesthesiologist takes some himself." House jeered. It wasn't one of his better comments, but he couldn't think of anything right now. "It's Wilson's."

Nicole nodded as she sat up in the bed. "Penicillamine?"

House nodded. "But you knew that. See, what I want to know is how you got Chase to do the biopsy. Especially since I dismissed him from your case." He leaned forward and rested his chin on his cane. His expression, wide eyes and gapping mouth, showed Nicole everything she needed to know.

Smiling, she responded, "I went over your head. Dr. Cuddy..."

"Cuddy would never do anything like that. She's a firm believer in "the book". In fact. She's thrown it at me a couple times. Literally and metaphorically."

"Well..." She hesitated, wondering if she should tell him the truth. He would find out anyway, so she went for it. "Lisa Cuddy isn't your aunt, is she?"

House dropped his cane and almost fell forward. "You're joking?! Hell no!"

Nicole slowly shook her head. House got up and left. Chase entered after him holding coffee in his hand and pulling on his wrinkled shirt. "What's wrong with him?"

"I told him that Cuddy's my aunt."

"Your aunt? Are you serious?" Nicole nodded with a satisfied look on her face.


	12. The End

**Chapter Twelve: The End**

Nicole pocketed the pills she was prescribed, then walked out into the hall and linked arms with Chase. Never again was she going to end up in a hospital like this, not if she had any say to it. Today she was being released, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her hand moved to her chest, where the burns still marked her skin, and rubbed the spot tenderly. It was the mark she had for the rest of her life, but it didn't hold all bad meaning. If she hadn't been with Chase that night, if she hadn't met up wit him so many years later, she could possibly be dead right now. Therefore, the burns and this entire ordeal signified how she was supposed to live. Fate drew her back to Chase, and he saved her life.

"What do you want to do now?" Chase asked, slipping a leather covered arm around her waist and pulling her weight into his.

Nicole thought a moment, wondering what she wanted to do. Her life had been completely different before this, her personality was altered. Now she had a chance to be who she really was, or who she really wanted to be, and she had no idea what this new "herself" would want to do. She shrugged, pressing the button to open the elevator.

A cane caught the door and prevented her from entering. "You're fired." House growled. He wasn't mad, just extremely annoyed. The absolute last thing he ever wanted was to have TWO Cuddy's walking around and ruining all his fun.

"You can't fire me." Nicole grinned, not phased by his frown.

"I hired you, I can fire you." In his hand, House waved a vanilla folder in the air. The name read: NICOLE CAULFIELD. "Get me the nurse that took this patient history." He had directed that towards Chase.

"Why?" Nicole noticed his accent was back to normal, just the way she liked it.

"She's going to be my assistant." He flipped open the file and began reading, "There are records here all the way back to the age of two. Whoever did this either knows what she's doing or is overly anal. Who was it? The overweight Hungarian woman from Pediatrics?"

Nicole laughed and raised her hand. "I plead guilty."

"You took your own history?"

"You said it was my job!" She continued, pushing House's cane down and entering the elevator. "So I guess I'm not fired then."

"Damn!"

And the elevator doors closed.

**author's note: **

okay guys, this is it. like i said, i did this as a type of "prologue" to another House fanfic i want to do. i may be starting that soon, it depends on how long the research takes me. if you want to be notified when i start it, send me a PM or write it in a review. reviews are better, i love reading reviews.

thanks to all of you who continued to read along the way and sorry it took to so long to get so little content. i wrote and rewrote and sometimes nothing stuck. again THANK YOU! and if i don't hear from you (by starting another story and whatnot) i wish you all HAPPY HOLIDAYS to be politically correct. personally, i say screw political correctness but...

until we meet again...

Ruby D.


	13. BABA O'RILEY REVIEW!

Map27,

I am thrilled that you liked my story, and I would be the first to admit that I was wrong when I typed that _Baba O'Riley_ was by Pearl Jam except… well, I wasn't. Since you have chosen to remain anonymous (and without an e-mail address), I have to say my piece here in the story itself to clear things up.

While _Baba O'Riley _was recorded by The Who in May of 1971 for their album _Who's Next_, there have since been many, many cover versions of the song created. To name some of the more popular bands (mostly the ones I can remember off the top of my head…), a cover song was recorded by The Blue Man Group, Grateful Dead, Nirvana, The Flaming Lips, Third Eye Blind.

And, of course, Pearl Jam.

Each pays extreme similar tribute to the original, but each had it's own little something special contributed by the respective band. The Pearl Jam cover version, aside from the original, was my favorite so I put it into the story.

Anyway…

Again, I thank you for the review and I hope to hear more from you in the future.

Read on and rock out.

Ruby D.


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